James Ellis picks the best hotels, from a £60 B&B to a converted tea factory, and, to begin, Travel Editor Jane Knight tells us why she loves Sri Lanka so much

What is your favourite country? It’s the question I’m asked most when people
find out what I do for a living, and my answer has been the same for more
than a decade — Sri Lanka.

Nowhere else can you get a bite-size “light” version of India or find such an
exotic mix of stunning secluded beaches and hill plantations, coupled with
interesting cultural sights: the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura and
Polunnawara; the magnificent rock fortress of Sigiriya; a temple dedicated
to Buddha’s tooth in Kandy where food offerings are made daily.